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Old 07-18-2019, 12:27 PM   #1
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Passenger seat-how?

Hello everyone...


So I've decided to chop off the steps and turn the area into a cargo hold or the generator compartment. I will also seal in that entrance, using the old lift door right next to it as the new entrance.


I want to install a passenger seat, but it has to be safe. Has anyone done this? How do you make sure the seat is properly anchored to the bus? A plywood floor over the area is not enough to hold a seat down in an accident, so maybe steel tubing attached to the chassis, and serving as the base for the chair?



Don't want to reinvent the wheel here...


Thanks

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Old 07-18-2019, 02:43 PM   #2
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Hello everyone...


So I've decided to chop off the steps and turn the area into a cargo hold or the generator compartment. I will also seal in that entrance, using the old lift door right next to it as the new entrance.


I want to install a passenger seat, but it has to be safe. Has anyone done this? How do you make sure the seat is properly anchored to the bus? A plywood floor over the area is not enough to hold a seat down in an accident, so maybe steel tubing attached to the chassis, and serving as the base for the chair?



Don't want to reinvent the wheel here...


Thanks
Does your seat have to be all the way forward in the former stepwell spot? I'm putting in a Ford transit van double seat just behind the stepwell, basically as far forward as the two rails can be bolted into the original floor.
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Old 07-18-2019, 03:06 PM   #3
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I like "musigenesis" plan, or a variation of it. You could move it forward from there and only put the rear mounting bolts into the original floor, and only the front bolts in the newly enclosed area.

I'd need to see the cut open stairwell to be able to make a suggestion about how to get steel under the plywood, but it shouldn't be hard to weld in a couple of pieces of Unistrut strategically located to bolt down seat mounts. I'd probaly want to weld it directly to the bottom of the original metal floor at the back end, but would need to look at it to decide where to attach the front end. Shouldn't be hard at all.
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Old 07-19-2019, 05:22 PM   #4
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The seat has to go over the former entrance because any further back will block the new entrance/lift door.


I'm gonna check to see how I can get some steel there. Maybe pay a pro welder to add it, since I can weld but am not certified.



I'll post a few pictures of the open area as soon as I can.
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Old 07-19-2019, 05:58 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Joe45 View Post
Hello everyone...


So I've decided to chop off the steps and turn the area into a cargo hold or the generator compartment. I will also seal in that entrance, using the old lift door right next to it as the new entrance.


I want to install a passenger seat, but it has to be safe. Has anyone done this? How do you make sure the seat is properly anchored to the bus? A plywood floor over the area is not enough to hold a seat down in an accident, so maybe steel tubing attached to the chassis, and serving as the base for the chair?



Don't want to reinvent the wheel here...


Thanks
Mount a seat to the floor just behind the stairs and have a fold down floor made of plywood that covers the stairs when there's a passenger.
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Old 07-19-2019, 08:08 PM   #6
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I want to install a passenger seat, but it has to be safe. Has anyone done this? How do you make sure the seat is properly anchored to the bus?
I was sailing down the same current, but decided mid-stream to relocate my loveseat, and use the old entrance area as a generator cabinet above my battery storage.

I can't weld worth a crap, so I bolted mine in. For the battery shelf, cut-down angle iron bolted to stepwell sides, then bolted through the tube stock and flat plate.

For the 'new' floor to mount the seat pedestal upon, same angle iron front and back of stepwell (1" below the rim), then 2 pcs of 1" tube stock bolted in running front-to-back, then an oversized flat plate (2" overhang all around) bolted thru the tube stock AND the old floor on three sides. Then the new seat pedestal would have bolted thru the plate and the tube stock underneath.

My uncle went in a week later and welded the bar stock across the opening, as well as tacking the flat plates to the bar stock to prevent rattling. That was more for my peace of mind than any concern that it wasn't as strong as the original floor.

And one additional note....the bus body is designed to slide along or detach from the frame rails in case of impact, so don't bolt the seat to the frame.
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Old 07-29-2019, 12:16 PM   #7
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OK
That's kind of what I was thinking-but wasn't sure.



I still have to get under there and take note of where the bolts can go. How thick is the steel plate you used?


Thanks
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Old 07-29-2019, 06:58 PM   #8
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I looked underneath and figured a 48"x48" sheet of maybe 3/16 steel bolted at various points to the body/floor and over the stairwell area can be a good base for the seat mount. There would also be the "box" that replaces the storage area, which will be made of 1.5" square steel tubing.



I removed the plywood in the area and found some rust, so that needs rust converter first. The driver chair seems to be mounted on brackets. Looks like removing it would be a big PIA! So, I am considering cleaning as best I can between the floor and bracket with compressed air etc. and then just pouring rust converter underneath.



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Old 07-29-2019, 08:01 PM   #9
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How thick is the steel plate you used?
I used 11 ga (1/8") cold-rolled, which is thicker than the stock floor. Your 3/16" will be more than sufficient.
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Old 07-29-2019, 09:43 PM   #10
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Awesome! Thank you!
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